Magic system redundant and dead AI?

from Elemental Forums

For a game about magic, the whole magic system is pretty redundant if you ask me.

 

There are no fortifications when siegeing a City (as in Age of Wonders) so no need for tactical terrain altering spells (such as Break Wall, etc).

There are next to no TACTICAL, in combat buffs such as heal/+str/+dex/etc and all the damage spells are basically the same just with different animations, and the animations are pretty terrible.

There are no "Overland" spells that give units in your range of influence any buffs, (such as Eternal Winter from AoW which slowed all enemy units, or one that increaded HP regen in safe territory, etc) meaning that influence is basically just there so you can claim resources.

 

I enjoy the game, but I was hoping it would learn a little more from Age of Wonders (or even AoW:Shadow Magic) which is basically the most refined fantasy 4X experience around. Elemental could have been so much better, sadly, it isn't atm. Hopefully in time the Stardock people will expand it and implement these kind of much needed changes through patch support.

 

P.S Why are there dead AI's on the map that just sit in their one base and don't build anything?

elemental
5,852 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Those AI are minor powers; they're not supposed to grow.

 

Agree with you on the magic side of things, it needs a huge overhaul.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Yeah I have been thinking about reinstalling Age of Wonders:Shadow Magic for weeks now... might just do it today. Only reason not to is it's TOO good, and will take up time, and make me cry and howl in the night for AoW 3...

The moddability of this game is fun however, and I already have a mod idea I will work on also today hopefully.

Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Probably the single largest gripe I have. How is it a game made in 1994 has a very robust, workable magic system with such variety, and this game just utterly fails at delivering?

Can't play like they didn't have a great resource to look at.

The Magic in this game is -VERY- underwhelming, along with many other things. So. Very. Sad!

I want this game to succeed. I want to see the improvements. I want to see it surpass games like Mom, Aow, Homm in terms of 'fun strategy game'. I am just afraid of how long I am going to have to wait to see it, and additionally afraid of having to spend more time finding/installing mods to make it playable and fun, than getting to play the game or having the desire to!

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting GalahadtheElder, reply 2
Yeah I have been thinking about reinstalling Age of Wonders:Shadow Magic for weeks now... might just do it today. Only reason not to is it's TOO good, and will take up time, and make me cry and howl in the night for AoW 3...
.
End of GalahadtheElder's quote

Oh man I wish! Stop making Xbox games Triumph!

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Yes, Age of Wonders : Shadow Magic is just about the best interpretation of 4X fantasy around. And the Magic system is just fantastic, especially the mechanic of being able to cast spells in your domain with your "Sovereign" once you have them in a city with a Wizard Tower, totally makes tactical battles more fun.

 

I have faith that Elemental will grow to become a game we all love but only if Brad get's his head out of his ass and just acknowledges that Elemental is basically a MoM/AoW ripoff. This ISN'T a bad thing, as long as you rip the good parts and make them your own!

 

Elemental has some great ideas, especially the Quest system, Elemental Quests > AoW quests, shame the rest is lacking.